10 Most Dangerous Things in Your Kitchen (Slideshow)

Cheese Grater

It seems so innocent, but really it has sharp, venomous claws just waiting to grate your knuckles. Always use a large block of cheese to keep your fingers far away from the blades.

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Garbage Disposal

These are for garbage only. So, don’t put your hand down there. Also, use rubber gloves when washing dishes so jewelry doesn’t come off and you have to go fetch it.

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Gas Oven

Gas ovens can be dangerous when the pilot lights go out, which causes gas to leak into the air. It is best to leave a kitchen window open a crack for the gas to escape until a gas professional can come repair it.

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Hand Blender

Unplug, unplug, unplug! If this is not puréeing food, it should be unplugged and turned off.

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Knives and Electric Knives

It’s important to make sure that you use sharp knives. This way they won't slip while cutting food and always cut the intended target instead of you. Also, never try to catch a falling knife. That won’t end well…

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Mandoline

These are scary, but oh so useful for cooking. Use them, but go very slow and pay careful attention. Also, use the food gripper that comes with it to avoid hand-mandoline contact. Also, keep your fingers tucked in so a flailing pinky finger doesn’t get nicked.

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Meat Grinder

Meat grinders are indented to grind thick chunks of meat into small, fine pieces. So, you'd need a pretty powerful machine to accomplish that. Better to keep your hands and fingers away from the grinder while powered it's on. Use the included piece of equipment to push the meat down into the grinder and keep your hand safe.

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Meat Slicer

Often found in delis and professional kitchens, this device can sometimes be found in home kitchens, too. If you have one of these, make sure to work slowly and carefully. Use all the hand guards that come with the machine and read the manual carefully to use it correctly.

Food Processor/ Blender

They may seem innocent, but they have sharp, spinning blades. Keep fingers and hands out of there, unless they're unplugged and turned off.

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Skewers

These are sharp. They are used to spear food, not your hand. Work slowly and make sure to keep your hands free of greasy oil while skewering food.